Alpha
Boy name · #2078 in 2025 · Uniqueness 69/100
In 2025, 71 baby boys were named Alpha, placing it at #2078 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2766, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 25,352 boys born in 2025 was named Alpha.
Babies named Alpha per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Alpha first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 75 babies and a rank of #2028. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Alpha against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Alpha in class?
Alpha scores 69 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Alpha will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Alpha is most common
State-level data for Alpha is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Alpha
Statistically, parents drawn to Alpha tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Simcha, Talha, Akiva, Armin, and Ahron.
SimchaTalhaAkivaArminAhronAyoubAmeenAkram
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Alpha | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 71 | #2077 |
| 2024 | 75 | #2028 |
| 2023 | 54 | #2480 |
| 2022 | 61 | #2325 |
| 2021 | 49 | #2623 |
| 2020 | 66 | #2113 |
| 2019 | 67 | #2129 |
| 2018 | 50 | #2546 |
| 2017 | 52 | #2450 |
| 2016 | 61 | #2207 |
| 2015 | 43 | #2766 |
| 2014 | 43 | #2754 |
| 2013 | 41 | #2804 |
| 2012 | 38 | #3002 |
| 2011 | 33 | #3306 |
| 2010 | 44 | #2730 |
| 2009 | 50 | #2528 |
| 2008 | 50 | #2515 |
| 2007 | 46 | #2643 |
| 2006 | 51 | #2398 |
| 2005 | 41 | #2653 |
| 2004 | 32 | #3074 |
| 2003 | 40 | #2545 |
| 2002 | 38 | #2556 |
| 2001 | 39 | #2489 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Alpha a popular boy name?
Alpha ranked #2078 among boys in 2025 with 71 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2766.
When was the name Alpha most popular?
Alpha peaked in 2024, when 75 American boys received the name (ranked #2028 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Alpha?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 25,352 newborn American boys was named Alpha. It scores 69/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.